Such a device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,823. The known device has a yoke made of a magnetically soft material that is supported such that it can be pivoted and moved. Permanent magnets are arranged at the ends of the yoke. The magnetically soft yoke and permanent magnets can be moved to the head of a patient, to control a magnetic element, for example the magnetic tip of a catheter. Two imaging devices are provided to monitor the movement of the magnetic element, having a radiation source and a radiation detector respectively. The imaging devices are attached at right angles to each other on a C-arm that can be moved in a peripheral direction and can be pivoted about a radial axis.
If a magnetic element is to be moved inside the body of a patient, the magnetic yoke is moved such that the magnetic element is located in the gap between the permanent magnets of the magnetic yoke. The magnetic element is then moved away from the magnetic field between the permanent magnets of the magnetic yoke in the required direction by moving the magnetic yoke in an appropriate manner.